Den. Spectabile

[Regelian]

Yes, a big species, but worth having in the collection. Needs more light than most and heavy feeding during growth. Afterwards keep slightly moist, sunny and little or no fertilizer. They do not like heavy drying out. Although there are dwarfed forms out there (for a good reason), most need to be about 50cm tall to bloom. In the wild they can reach a meter or more.

A cross with D. antennatum would be interesting, dwarfing the size. Not seen it, yet.

Jamie V.

[Dollythehun]

I got mine a year ago as a "bag baby" from Lowe's. Since then it has grown a couple new canes, one of which is 18" tall and as fat as a broom handle. It produced more roots than I could imagine and is now busily filling a 6 or 7" azalea pot. It lives in the high rent district of full sun and there is nary a hint of bloom. Now, at H&R, you can get the newer hybrids for the same $ plus shipping. Bummer. Like I said, wet blanket. How many of us have room for something a meter tall?

[Jeff214]

These are the two den spectabile baggies I got from Lowe's 1 ~ 2 years ago. On the left is the 'shorty' x 'hoosier' and on the right is listed as 'x self (sib)'.

These were the first orchids I ever purchased. I was just minding my own business buying fertilizer for my fruit trees - - - until the Den spectabile photo caught my eye and beckoned me to buy it. And thus started my orchid craze.

I should have written to Better Gro that their photos are false advertisement - I may never see them bloom! haha.

One day though, I hope it will reward me with alien blooms.

[Dollythehun]

Here's the subject. I should add that until two weeks ago, I had it on an extremely small pot. When I turned it out, the pot was solid roots, solid. I didn't even try to tease them apart, I just repotted it in this, and as you can see, it's already growing out the top.